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Tirune
What is this? This is Zobolotsky's first world that he's created. Angels, Fiends and Gods walk the world along with mortals, and one could physically walk to their domains. Geography Spines of the World A mountain range that forms a walled off circle in the middle of the mainland. Beyond the craggy paths and snow capped peaks is a primordial jungle, filled with creatures from an age long passed. Belt of the Tides A wall of mysterious star rock sits either along the coast or just off it, separating the outer ocean from the coastal seas. The Sundered Span A part of the Belt of the Tides crumbled in a war fought long ago, flooding a populated lowland area and forming a great marsh for dozens of miles. A common saying about this swamp is "Those smart enough to leave did, and those too dumb to die were goblins." Though the saying often ends with a clank of mugs and a hearty laugh, the brutal goblinoids and other savage creatures are as clever as they are dangerous. Iram The great desert of Iram spans Tirune from East to West. In myth it held the fabled Empire of Blood, a civilization of dragons, but now only timeless stone ruins remain. Tribes of dragonborn and kobolds live in these lands as proud heirs to the land of the draconic. Redland The highlands immediately around the Spines of the World are given their namesake from the clay-like dirt that covers the area. Few things can grow in the soil, but Dwarves have lived in these lands since before memory, the secret to their success a well guarded secret. The Maw A deep crevasse in the far North, the Maw is the largest entrance to the cavernous Underdark, and rumors abound that the lands of Fiends are at the bottom. Built into the walls of this fissure is the Undercity, a kingdom built to hold back the horrors held within. Riomar Forest The Riomar is home to the wood elves and is one of more mysterious places in Tirune, and the two are not coincidence: the wood elves have sealed the forest off to outsiders. Only the city of Moonleaf is open to travelers. The Hundred Blooms The vast fields and small woodlands of the South is given its name by the fruit bushes that are always in season. The Blooms is home to bustling human city-states, quiet halfling shires and majestic high elf enclaves. Monsters Ko'Shal A great creature that was only discovered after part of the Belt of the Tides was broken, but far too large to enter through the Sundered Span. It is of impossible length, and would be mistaken for an exposed reef if it did not move. The Dirge The people of cursed people of Niryl. Their mind as well as their bodies have degraded to a zombie like state. They attack not only outsiders, but each other as well, as if trying to claim something they no longer have. Breachers Ko'Shal is not the only creature of the deep ocean out there. Sometimes smaller, but still quite large creatures swim through the Sundered Span and wreak havoc for days as they rampage through neighboring kingdoms before they are put down. Dragons Few dragons remain in the land, but they are said to have once ruled the mightiest empire in history. Some remain in their ancestral homeland of Iram, some finding refuge in the wilderness, but most are said to have flown over the Belt of the Tides for an unkown purpose. Religion The House Pantheons It is not clear which created the other: some say progenitor gods crafted a mortal race in their image, while others believe the gods were created by the collective belief of their race. Regardless, there is a pantheon representing each race (or a collection of races), and each pantheon has a physical place in Tirune where its deities live. None are easily reached, and only those deemed worthy are allowed to enter. The Grand Pantheon It is said in the early days, the races and their patron deities waged vicious wars to display their supremacy, and Tirune was nearly destroyed. After seeing what such widespread conflict was causing, several of the gods made the Pact of the Ancients, which forced each pantheon to recognize the others as equals. To ensure each was respected, a deity drawn from the House Pantheons is selected to govern their domain from the Halls of the Seperate Houses, representing their pantheon and their race to the others. Settlements Port Gritz The largest port with human access to the Sundered Span, Port Gritz is one of the fastest growing cities in the land. Originally founded by humans and dwarves, Port Gritz has become the most diverse city in Tirune. The Undercity Originally founded as a first line of defense against the Underdark just inside the Maw, the threats it was supposed to protect against never came. Most of the world has forgotten about the Undercity, and it has become a hub for criminal activity. Like all civilizations, money is the life blood. In the Undercity, that is almost literal: everything has a price, and there is always someone either selling it or willing to obtain it. Scaled City of Nijas A lot of news comes from the Spines of the World, but nothing ever so grand as Nijas has ever gone in or out. A massive beast, it houses a small city atop its scaled back as it passively grazes from one side of the world to the other. Mohz'Kob The grandest city of the Dwarven empire sits at the base to the Spines of the World, where its central location provides it both strategic and economic domination over much of Tirune. Zurut A town on the Northern edge of Iram and built in the skeleton of an ancient beast, it is a stopping point for many of those preparing to wander the desert. A brood of blue dragons rule Zurut, where travelers must pay tribute for protection. Niryl No one cared for this small human kingdom until after it was wiped from the map a decade ago by a powerful curse, tainting the land and its people. It was ruled by Elabos, the self proclaimed 'Sorcerer King'. Many have ventured into the fallen kingdom in search of plunder, but none return with any treasure should they return at all. Moonleaf Moonleaf is comprised of two massive trees, each towering into the clouds. The name of the city is derived from the contraction for the wood Elf cities of Felandal and Anaril, or Moonreach and Everleaf in common. The city stands watch over the sealed kingdom of the wood elves. Halls of the Separate Houses A place talked about in legend to mortals, this is where the Grand Pantheon rules from. It is said to be on an island outside the Belt of the Tides, where only one from each of the House Pantheons may journey to at a time. Organizations The Astra An occult group that believes the time of the mortals is at hand, and that the world should be purged of both the divine and fiend alike. "To the stars bathed in blood" is their motto. Followers of the Morbid Fate The cultists of the Morbid Fate believe they are able to stain the souls of others with their own sins. As assassins, they promise that not only will someone die, but that their soul will burn when it is time for them to be judged. The Carchadon Corporation Port Gritz is the business center of many industries, being the largest port city with access to the largest sea within the Belt of the Tides. Where many stand, one reigns supreme: Carchadon Corporation is a massive business that controls much, and what it doesn't control it has a hand in. From farming corn to attempting to mine the Sunrock off the Belt of the Tides, their only law is profit. Hand of the Ancient One Many know of the existence of Ko'Shal, the great leviathan that patrols the outer oceans. Many believe it to be more then a large fish, something that merely ate its way to a titanic size. Some believe it is the will of the oceans, a physical manifestation that reigns king over water. Secretive and few, they seek the truth of the Ko'Shal. Coarse-Hairs of Thunderjaw Dwarven vikings that wear giant beards and steal from other pirates.